H.S. FOOTBALL: Greencastle-Antrim runs over Big Spring

GREENCASTLE — It didn't come quite as easily as some may have predicted, but Greencastle-Antrim could finally breathe a sigh of relief following three weeks of frustration.

Utilizing their routine 'ball-carrier-by-committee' approach, the Blue Devils returned to form on the ground behind a wealth of contributions, rushing for a season-high 571 yards en route to a 44-27 victory over Big Spring in Friday night's Homecoming football game at Kaley Field.

The win snapped G-A's three-game losing streak while providing plenty of positive reinforcement heading into the final two weeks of the season.

"It feels good to get a win," said G-A head coach Chuck Tinninis, who was recognized for his 25 years of service at the conclusion of Friday's game. "We managed to make it interesting, but we needed a big night out of the offense and they rose to the occasion. Aside from the turnovers, we did what we wanted to do and in the end we came away with the 'W'."

Coming off a breakout performance last week against Shippensburg, Hunter Szaflarski again stole the show, scoring four of G-A's six total touchdowns, including an electrifying 62-yard punt return while adding scoring runs of 43, 28 and 10 yards respectively.

To truly put the Blue Devils' success on the ground in perspective, Szaflarski's 97 rushing yards placed the senior third of G-A's final stat sheet, behind the duo of Ashtin Byers and Austin Scott.

Despite not finding the end zone, Byers racked up a career-high 151 yards on just 13 carries while Scott showcased his dual-threat capabilities at quarterback, rushing for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

Adding to G-A's overwhelming attack were the collective performances of Josh Young (67 yards), Kareem Aiken (59 yards) and Matt Montedoro (58 yards), allowing the Blue Devils (3-5, 2-3 MPC-Colonial) to establish a lead early before wearing down their opponent late.

Following two Szaflarski touchdowns in the first eight minutes of play, a 22-yard field goal by Luke Bitner granted G-A a 17-0 lead with 4:52 remaining in the first half, seemingly setting the stage for a potential blowout.

Facing an uphill battle, the Bulldogs' big-play ability quickly transformed the complexion of the contest, as quarterback Isaiah Grier connected with Hunter Kotzmoyer for a 52-yard scoring strike to cut the deficit to 17-6.

The Blue Devils immediately responded on their next possession, as Scott broke loose up the middle for a 38-yard touchdown and a 23-6 G-A advantage.

Beginning from their own 31 with 1:23 remaining in the half, the Bulldogs (1-7, 1-4 MPC-Colonial) needed just three plays to remain within striking distance, as a 43-yard completion from Grier to Justin Vioral set up a 16-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Pion, resulting in a 10-point game entering the locker room.

Szaflarski returned the momentum to the hosts less than two minutes into the second half, fielding Big Spring's opening-possession punt at his own 38 before emerging through both the dense fog and the Bulldog's coverage unit along the left sideline, strolling in for the 62-yard score and a 30-13 G-A lead.

Page 2 of 2 - With Big Spring again threatening in G-A territory on the ensuing series, Young intercepted a Grier pass at the Blue Devils' 14, wrestling the ball away from the intended receiver while regaining possession for Scott and the G-A offense.

A 42-yard burst from Byers abruptly flipped the field before Scott capped the 86-yard drive with his second trip across the goal line, this time from 15 yards out, giving the Blue Devils a 24-point advantage with 5:48 remaining in the third.

Continuing to battle, Grier kept Big Spring lingering on a 51-yard keeper up the gut roughly two minutes later, sending the Bulldogs into the final frame down 37-19.

After the sides exchanged interceptions deep inside Bulldogs' territory — including a pick by Big Spring's Jake Bales at the 1-yard line followed by a sensational interception from G-A's Holden Baker to return to favor on the very next play — a turnover on downs by the Blue Devils at Big Spring's 13 set up an 87-yard touchdown pass from Grier to Kotzmoyer, trimming the lead to 37-27 with 7:45 left in regulation.

A failed onside kickoff by the Bulldogs positioned G-A near midfield moments later, with Young and Montedoro picking up chunks of yardage before a 10-yard scoring run by Szaflarski essentially sealed the victory at the 3:52 mark of the fourth.

"Defensively, we gave up some big plays on some mental mistakes and by getting beat a few times, but when we needed a play from the offense, we got one," Tinninis said. "There are some things we need to correct, but a lot of guys played well and hopefully we can build off this moving forward."

Grier finished 6-of-20 for 254 yards and three touchdowns through the air while rushing for 70 yards, accounting for the majority of Big Spring's total offense.

Stephen Ernharth paced G-A's defensive effort from his middle linebacker spot, recording a team-high seven tackles and recovering a fumble on the Bulldog's final possession of the game. Kristian Sheeley and Bobby Rider each added a sack in the victory.

G-A returns to action next Friday as the Blue Devils host Waynesboro (2-6, 1-4 MPC-Colonial) for a Mid-Penn Colonial Division showdown set to kickoff at 7:30 p.m.